Journal of Media Critiques · Aug 6, 2026
Parkinson's disease in the Amazon: functioning and social vulnerability in teaching-service-community integration in primary health care
By Ferreira LLV, Carnot LDSF, Peres CDS et al.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the sociodemographic and functional profile of older adults with Parkinson's disease receiving care in Primary Health Care (APS) in an Amazonian context, discussing implications for care organization. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical observational study with a quantitative approach, conducted with older adults diagnosed with Parkinson's disease receiving care through a multiprofessional outreach project linked to APS. Sociodemographic variables, disease stage assessed using the modified Hoehn and Yahr scale, and functional capacity assessed using the Katz Index were analyzed. Descriptive analysis and the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test were performed, adopting a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Older adults aged 60–74 years (73.3%), with low educational attainment and limited income, predominated, with 46.7% having an income of up to one minimum wage and 40.0% between one and two minimum wages. There was a slight predominance of males (56.7%). Most were in the intermediate disease stages (2 and 3), accounting for 90.0% of the sample. A high frequency of partial functional dependence (80.0%) was observed, with a greater proportion of dependence in more advanced disease stages, although without a statistically significant association (p = 0.112). CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate a high frequency of functional impairment among older adults with Parkinson's disease receiving care in APS, observed in a population characterized by low educational attainment and reduced income. In Amazonian regions, marked by geographical barriers and limitations in access, the importance of territorially based and multiprofessional strategies for improving care quality and strengthening longitudinality in APS stands out.